The Process

• Exact Wax replicas of the item to be cast are produced by injecting hot wax into a metal mould.
• The wax replicas are assembled onto a specially designed wax tree. The tree is designed to incorporate the wax channels, to ensure the molten alloy flows into the moulds efficiently.
• The design ensures the molten metal reaches every area of the mould to produce the specified dimensions and metallurgy.
• The wax tree is dipped in ceramic slurry, which is then coated with zircon sand in a dedicated coating cabinet.
• The coated wax trees are dried in humidity controlled air cabinet.
• The dried trees are put into an autoclave where pressurised steam melts the wax out of the ceramic moulds leaving an exact mould to create the cast in.
• The ceramic moulds are forwarded to the foundry where technicians have checked the composition and temperature of the metal prior to casting. This metal is then introduced to the moulds.
• Once the metal has cooled sufficiently the ceramic shell is vibrated off the cast product by the use of a pneumatic knockout machine.
• Any remnants of the ceramic mould is removed by stainless steel shot in a rotary peening machine.
• The metal tree containing the cast products have the stems sawn off by a carborundum wheel.
• The cast products are sent to the finishing department where they are machined, heated treated, polished and assembled as required.

Downloads

Download the Polycast Foundry Guide:

Part 1 Part 2

• Rapid Prototyping
• Cost Efficiency Systems

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